X-Men: Gifted Persons / Mutant Teens
by Deedlit MagicFayal Wood
Summary: Coming of age in a world that fears what they have become new arivals at Xaviors School struggle to fit in.
1. New Beginnings

The X Men  
The Gifted Ones _  
  
Chapter one: New Beginnings  
  
She had found them on-line. It was probably the dumbest thing she had ever done, but she was there- standing in a dimly lit clearing in the forest. Perhaps a week ago she wouldn't have come, but now her views had changed. She had always thought of them as really cool people, but now that she was one she was scared. "I'm Christine Matthews...I talked to you on-line yesterday..." She called out to the darkness around her. She could feel eyes on her. Her heart was racing and her eyes were tearing up. "Is anyone here?"   
  
"I'm here!" A girl about her age appeared inches in front of her, nose to nose, but completely upside down, floating in the air.   
  
She screamed and went sprawling backwards on her back. A large ball of fire came from her mouth and the stranger shrieked as well, then disappeared only to reappear by her side.  
  
"Oops, sorry!" She reappeared sitting a few inches above the ground next to her, putting out the smoldering hairs on the top of her head as she apologized. "I'm Dementia!" She wore goggles with special lenses to suffice as glasses so they didn't fall off. They were black, as were all her leather cloths. She had little horns at the hairline, centered above her eyes and mid shoulder blade length hair that was green. Her blue eyes looked at the new comer curiously. "Cool power!"  
  
"My name is Tangles...Well my real name is Maggie-Marie Thies, but once you see my power you'll never use my real name again." Another girl stepped out of the shadows. She was 19, 5'6", and had wild curly hair that hung down her back to below her butt. Her eyes were a vivid blue against the navy turtleneck she wore. She was rather round and busty. She wore a blue fatigue print skirt and combat boots. "Dementia is a little hyper, sorry about her welcome. We were just checking to make sure you were one of us. Her real name is Marci Carper."  
  
"Dementia? Tangles?" She tucked her shoulder length brown hair behind her ear. She had a white streak above her right eye.  
  
"You need a call name like the rest of us have. Is the fire your only power?" Dementia poked her questioningly.  
  
"I don't know, it's only been a few days!" Christine shrunk back from her.  
  
Tangles smacked Dementia off before taking Christine by the arm. "Let's go back to the hideout. There will be time for questions later." She led the way, everyone quiet for the walk. The hideout was an old rundown theater behind a shopping center. Inside a black girl with cropped hair and a tall boy with short curly brown hair and blue eyes were lounging on a bench. "Did you two finish your chores?" Tangles asked them.  
  
"Yep...Need food!" The boy grabbed his middle and rolled off the bench. The black girl snickered softly.  
  
"Ok, think we could be a little more subtle there air head?" Dementia grinned, giving him a nudge with her toe. A gust of wind shoved her into the nearest wall. "Ouch!"  
  
"Wind, Cat, go get the others so we can all share our stories with Christine in a little while. I'll start dinner." Tangles shooed them away. "Dementia can show you to the girl's room and you can put up your things. I'll be here if you need me." She walked behind the snack bar and took out a pan. They had a mini fridge and the chili and cheese hot plates to cook on.  
  
"Come on." Dementia hooked her arm in Christine's and dragged her off. She led her through an "employees only" sign and up a flight of stairs. There was a hall that split off in two directions. They went to the right. They entered the projection booth. The movie racks had been moved against a wall and used as a shoe, book, and hat rack. There were many beds on the floor. "This one is empty! I sleep next to you and Clock and Cat sleep on that side. Tangles sleeps down stairs in the break room. The boys are all to the left...all two of them. Wind is mine but Talon is a freebee... Of coarse he is only 13 so you probably don't want him either."  
  
"Ok..." Christine put her things down as her companion droned on. "My things are away..."  
  
"Ok, then let's go!" She tugged Christine back down the steps. When they got down stairs Tangles told them to wash up for dinner and Dementia led the way into the women's bathroom on the far right. "Are you hungry? Tangles is a really good cook."  
  
"Yes, I haven't eaten since breakfast. It smells so good." She dried her hands on a towel. "So how long have you been living here?"  
  
"Well, we'll explain everything while we eat." Dementia smiled mischievously as they left the bathroom and went to the dinning room converted from old gaming arcade in the front left of the building. "You know I feel like we are being watched...oh well!" The arcade had been moved to between the bathrooms years before it closed and the front had kind of been empty except for a few dusty video poker machines that were illegal those days. A door propped on top of some carpentry horses served as a table and miscellaneous items served as chairs. A cable spool was Tangle's seat. Wind was perched on a crate. Cat sat on a bench where Dementia parked herself as soon as she had shoved Christine down on a dented folding chair. A girl she hadn't met yet but assumed to be Clock was sitting on a pair of cinder blocks with a piece of wood between, and a boy she was sure was Talon sat on a roller chair with out the rollers.  
  
They all joined hands and prayed over the meal. Christine was a bit surprised by this. Upon the Amen chaos erupted. A wild scrimmage for dinner rolls broke loose. Tangles, who was to her left, handed her a roll before clearing her throat. "Children, if you can't play nice I'm going to have to separate you." Everyone stopped and sat down quietly. "Now, I'm going to start with myself and we'll go by time. Christine will finish with her story. Ok?"  
  
Everyone nodded, as each ate his or her dinner quietly. "Ok then...I was born with the power to read other people's emotions. I can't read their minds, just understand their feelings. I never really thought about it until I was eleven and I manifested my other power. It is a telekinetic power of manipulating my hair at will. I can grab things and stuff like that. Well, it was scary but I knew I wasn't going to make it go away so I made use of it. A few years later I met up with Dementia..."  
  
"My turn!" Dementia sat down her fork and took a breath. "I was thirteen when I got my horns and green hair but my powers of Dimensional travel and gravity defiance showed up when I was twelve. I thought it was cool, but my parents thought I was turning into a demon or something so I had to run away. That's when Tangles and I teamed up and took this place over. She was fifteen so she knew what to do. And Cat came into the picture soon after that."  
  
Cat looked at Dementia for a moment before beginning. "I met Dementia and Tangles at a town meeting about Mutants. I was just curious about what they had to say at the meeting so I went. Back then I was Erika Smalls...anyway some activist shot up the place. My cat like abilities became apparent then. Trauma of being shot activated my change." Christine noticed Cat's eyes were very cat like and her ears were the slightest bit pointed on the tips. She was dressed in Jeans and a T-shirt.  
  
"That was my eleventh birthday and my mom was called into the hospital. I dragged my best friend with me and we met Cat after surgery. My name was Jed Payne and Wind was Glenn Rockwell." Talon fidgeted. He was thirteen and about 5' tall. He had brown hair and eyes. His skin was dark bronze, and wore tight jeans and a half-buttoned orange shirt. A cross hung around his neck. "She was really nice and we made friends with her. We started hanging out with her and her mutant friends. This year I've started understanding and talking to birds."  
  
"I started controlling wind a few weeks ago." Wind said between bites. He made no move to elaborate.  
  
"My darling isn't good at story time." Dementia reached over and patted him on the top of the head. He turned bright red and slouched down lower on his crate.  
  
"And now that leads us to me, Clock. My real name is Hope Donny-Clark. I've been able to stop time and slow it down and speed it up since two years ago. I kind of had the same move into the old theater idea and met everyone else last year." She had short blond hair and brown eyes. She was about 5'4" and fifteen years old.  
  
"I'm Christine Matthews and I was at school last Thursday and my teacher yelled at me and I got really mad and started breathing fire...for real. I was taken to the hospital but the only thing wrong with me was on a genetic level. I am considered a danger to myself and others so they wanted to lock me up. My mom and dad didn't send me away though and I started trying someplace that could really help me. I found you guys. And this is where I am now." She tucked her hair behind her ear again.  
  
"Scorch!" Clock grinned. "That would be perfect!"  
  
"Isn't that kind of cheesy?" Christine frowned. "Wait, I'm asking people like Clock and Tangles?"  
  
"Hey, what do you mean? They are part of our identity. They express our gifts as well as define who we are outside normal society where we aren't always welcome." Cat spoke softly. "What kind of super hero name is Christine? Scorch is so much better. It kicks butt."  
  
"We aren't super heroes, we are kids." Christine shook her head in denial.  
  
"Why can't we be? We are super, now all we need is to be heroes. We already are super persons." Tangles smiled as Christine thought that over.  
  
"Fine, you can call me Lighter for all I care." She relented.  
  
"Sure thing hot stuff. Now how about you and me talk about something more important?" Talon winked at her.  
  
"Like what? Me walking you to day care in the morning?" She smiled at him coolly.  
  
"That was harsh." Wind looked at Scorch in surprise before giving her the thumbs up. "Nice one!" He then dodged a flying fork.  
  
"Shut up!" Talon grumbled before getting up from the table. "Well, if you change your mind I'll be in my room. Later babe!" He wandered off.  
  
"Poor boy is a legend in his own mind. Too bad for him he never crosses anyone else unless they are mad at him..." Clock sighed. "Well food was great, nice meeting you, now I'm off to work. See you in the morning." She gave everyone a wave as she went out the back door.  
  
That entire day seemed so long ago but it was only two weeks prior to today. Wind had been instructed by Tangles to help Christine develop her powers. They had spent hours in the back in a bare metal room with a few lights exploring her abilities. She had learned how to make a small match sized flames appear on her fingertips and she could throw fireballs as well as breath a torch of flame. If things went awry Wind simply snuffed the flame with his powers. She was surprised that he wasn't her helper as usual. This day she was alone.   
  
She wasn't afraid because she couldn't hurt herself. She played with the fire, juggling balls and bouncing them like beanbag balls. Applause broke her concentration and they all went out instantly. "Sorry, but that was really cool." Talon grinned.  
  
"What are you doing here bird brain?"  
  
"Is that anyway to talk to someone Tangles sent to you?" He placed a hand over his heart trying to look taken back.  
  
"What, she is in the mood for fried chicken?" She teased him, tossing and catching a new ball.  
  
"I came to help you. Sometimes gifts can be combined to make a stronger attack. Dementia and Tangles can become Medusa if they work together (Dementia casts snake illusion and Tangles is her self). Maybe we can create some magic of our own." He smiled.  
  
"Listen Playboy, I don't think this is going to work..."  
  
"Give me a minute! We could maybe create a phoenix if we tried." Well, who was she to argue with him? He was cute if not a little self-assured. Even if he were full of baloney he would entertain her for a while.  
  
"Ok, I'll give you a chance." She nodded to him and he grinned a big happy smile of success. That is when she realized her day was about to get kicked up into the fast lane. He was hyper and talked her through everything before she knew he had started. She was very tired by the time dinner was ready, but they were making progress. Ok, so it was only a parakeet today, but soon they would have a phoenix, she was sure of it! "Alright! Mexican!" She sat down happily.  
  
After blessings they dug into the food. "How are things going for you Scorch?" Tangles gave her a warm smile.  
  
She looked up with lettuce sticking out of her mouth. She gave a thumbs-up while she chewed on her mouth full. "Nom yum nom.." After swallowing she elaborated. "Very cool! Today Talon and I made a firebird... It was small but it was a start! Wind showed me how to juggle and handle my fire as if it were a rubber ball and all kinds of awesome things."  
  
"Good. You haven't had any trouble with spontaneous power bursts?"  
  
"Nope!" She shook her head. She had found her family. Their talents were stronger ties then any blood could ever be... 


	2. One Way Ticket

Chapter two: One Way Ticket  
  
"What do you mean tomorrow?!?" Scorch was so surprised she tripped up the last step and fell on her face. "We are separating for good? But we just met!"  
  
Dementia shook her head. "You've got it all wrong. This trip is for all of us and we go as a team. We are going to a school where we can be who we are without being feared. Mutant High was e-mailed this morning. Tangles already bought our tickets." Dementia was so hyper she kept hopping up and down...about three feet above the floor. "We've got to pack!"  
  
"But...Wait a minute! What about this place?"  
  
"We seal it back up and walk away. It is a rundown movie theater after all."  
  
"But it's home..."  
  
"You can stay if you want but I'm looking forward to hot showers and clean cloths. It isn't the best lifestyle, living illegally and such."  
  
"I guess."  
  
"I know you just got comfortable with this place, but things will only get better. And I bet there will be some cute guys at school wanting your number." She poked Scorch in the ribs.  
  
"911."  
  
"911?" Dementia blinked curiously.  
  
"My dad's a cop. Dating must be arranged through him!" Scorch gave an evil grin. "But that's only when I don't like them." She gave Dementia a high-five as they went down the hall.  
  
Clock was in the room reading a book. "Hey."  
  
"Hi there Clock." Dementia appeared next to her on her bed. "Science??? Ewe! Can't you read anything interesting?"  
  
"Like?"  
  
"Fantasy?"  
  
"Like a bunch of teens with super powers saving New York? Nah, those books are over rated."  
  
"Do you guys ever get the feeling you are being watched?" Scorch asked nervously as she looked around.  
  
"That happens. This place is probably haunted." Dementia nodded.  
  
"Grow up. It is just because this place is so dark that you get that feeling. There is no such thing as ghosts." Clock waggled her index finger disapprovingly.  
  
"Ah sure, and the Tooth Fairy is just something someone made up." Dementia stuck her tongue out.  
  
"Well, it just so happens..."  
  
"Liar!" Scorch teased her. "Anyway, I'm packed. Let's go play hide-and-seek in the theaters."  
  
"Ok!" Dementia clapped her hands together.  
  
"I'm in too!" Clock stood up and the three stampeded down the steps. "Last one there is a rotten egg!"  
  
Poor Wind was walking up the steps and found three hyper girls bouncing down upon him. "Ahhh!!" He turned around and ran back down the steps.  
  
"Hey guys wanna see something cool?" Talon popped up from who knows where. The devilish grin on his face made everyone worry.  
  
"What did you do?" Scorch asked eyeing him.  
  
"See!" Her jerked up his shirt and showed his chest. "Nipple rings!"  
  
"Ewe!" Clock wrinkled her nose while all three girls crossed their arms over their chests thinking of how much that would hurt.  
  
"Did it hurt?" Wind asked wide-eyed.  
  
"Nah...I passed out before they started." He confessed. Everyone snickered. "You didn't see those needles!" He grumbled. "But they are cool!"  
  
"Sure kid, whatever you say." Scorch nodded, giving him a patronizing look.  
  
"Hello?! Where is everyone?" Tangles called.   
  
"We are over here with Talon's new nipple rings." Dementia called to her.  
  
"Oh, convenience. Everyone in a group waiting for me." She smiled before beginning the informing of the group. "I've got the tickets. We are leaving tonight instead of tomorrow. After dinner each of you needs to get his or her things and go to the back door. We are on our way to Westchester, New York boys and girls." They all began to cheer.  
  
They ate a heavy meal of pork chops and mashed potatoes before going to grab their things. Tangles went to her room and started packing. "Please, don't leave me." A male voice begged softly.  
  
She looked around, sensing someone sad in the room. It wasn't the first time she had sensed him, but he had never spoken before. "Where are you hiding? Why are you hiding? You know we won't hurt you." She spoke soothingly.  
  
"I'm right here." The air in front of her began to shimmer and then a young man appeared. He was about 6'3", looked to be Japanese-American, and had short spiky hair. He was extremely muscular. His eyes were hidden behind sunglasses.  
  
"You've been here for so long, why did you wait until now to show yourself?"  
  
"You all love being X-Men but I hate it...I don't want to be one." He frowned softly. "Damn it, I don't have a reason. I just didn't."  
  
"Fair enough." She nodded. "But you're still hiding." She reached up and took off his glasses. His eyes were shut. "Look at me."  
  
She was prepared for something horrible behind his lids but what she did see made her gasp involuntarily. He tried to snatch back the glasses blushing furiously. "Give them back bitch!"  
  
"No! They are beautiful! Why are you hiding them?" She used her powers, her hair holding the glasses far beyond his reach. He struggled to grab them cursing loudly. She put her hand on his cheek. "They might be exotic but they are beautiful beyond imagination. Like the Aurora Borealis in Alaska's skies."  
  
"How can you see them so differently from me?" He picked up the mirror she kept on the table. He looked into it. "All I see is inhumanity."  
  
"Because that is how you feel about yourself. Eyes are the channel to the soul. If the soul is hurting then so will they eyes...What are your powers?"  
  
"Invisibility, chameleonism, and strength."  
  
"Chameleonism? So you can change colors?""  
  
"I can change my appearance, my cloths and hair...But nothing else. I've learned much by watching you...But I can't fix my eyes." He handed her the mirror.  
  
She looked into the swirling pools of color. "When we get to the school, someone will be able to help you."  
  
"You already planned on me going?" He gaped at her. "And just how can anyone fix my eyes?"  
  
"I knew you would come. And contacts are such a simple thing aren't they." She smiled. Get your things, we are going." She handed him back his glasses.  
  
"My name is Ichiban Saino." He put back on the shades.  
  
"Hum...Your parents named you well, "most talented one". See, you were born for greatness Saino." She giggled.  
  
He laughed as well before disappearing. "See you at the doors in a few."  
  
"I came here nearly half an hour ago, what took so long?" Dementia complained hopping from one foot to another as Tangles finally appeared. She had a picnic basket and a book bag as well as a small suitcase.  
  
"Sorry, Saino was being difficult." She smiled.  
  
"I wasn't!" He appeared. His glasses were in place.  
  
"Wait a second, who are you?" Wind frowned.  
  
"I'm Saino, Ichiban Saino. I'm pleased to finally meet you. I'm your ghost Dementia." He laughed slightly. "Well, let's go!"  
  
"Ghost? Ah so you're a peeping tom too?!"  
  
"Who'd want to look at you naked?" He grinned. "I don't, rest assured."  
  
"What?!?" She kicked him in the knee. "Jack ass!"  
  
"Winch! I wouldn't want to be turned to stone!" He clutched his leg.  
  
"Stop it right now." Tangles glowered. "That's enough from the both of you. It's time to go to the bus station. We've got to catch our ride to New York."  
  
Getting there wasn't that big of a deal but Dementia's look did turn a few heads. Her horns were disguised by a horned head band with spaces for her real ones, but her hair was still green and everyone's black leather obsession made even brave people think before crossing their paths. Clock wore a Hawaiian print top and jeans and Tangles wore bright red top and purple skirt...but everyone else was in solid black. "I think we're intimidating everybody."  
  
"Gee Talon, you think?" Wind rolled his eyes. He pulled off his black over shirt, exposing his white muscle shirt.  
  
"Merf!" Jed stuck out his tongue after struggling to pull off the tossed top.  
  
"Oh, have mercy Glenn!" Marci sunk down in her seat fanning herself. "Hey, when did you get a tattoo?"  
  
"When Maggie took me and we all three got one." He shrugged. He had an intricate armband tattoo in black around his upper left arm.  
  
"Three?"  
  
"Glenn, her, and me!" Talon jerked up his shirtsleeve to show his nickname across his arm roughly where Glenn's was only on his right side...  
  
"Ok Maggie, show yours." Marci poked her.  
  
"No. It's kind of high to show in public."  
  
"It's not that high. You are so reserved. Anything above the knee is too high isn't it?" Saino put his hand right above the outside of her knee, indicating its placement. "Such an indecent place Mags, shame, shame." She hauled off and slapped him. "Oh, I think she likes me." He winked at them before glancing back down at his handy work. Her skirt was a mini skirt (by her standards) of the original purple with clear plastic going to her ankles. It showed off the pink Magnolia above her right knee beautifully. A hand was quickly slapped over her 2 inches of skin.  
  
"Woah, coolness Saino. Maggie...your tattoo is so girly." Typical Jed informed her or the awful facts.  
  
"I'm a girl...fixing to be murder suspect." She said through her teeth at Saino.  
  
"Well, I like it. And your legs showing isn't the end of the world. Just modern suburbia." Marci teased her.  
  
"So funny, fix it or I'll fix you."  
  
"People are looking at us." Glen informed them. "I wouldn't suggest doing it here."  
  
"Wasn't planning on it anyway. I like those legs." Saino sat back with a grin.  
  
"You do know I can read you like a cheap two buck novel, don't you? You aren't really a bad boy, you're afraid." Maggie pulled a blanket and pillow out of her bag and began arranging them. "It's late and I'm tired and feeling rather grumpy, everyone go to sleep or at least shut your yaps." She sat back, and closed her eyes.  
  
Christine opted for the sleeping and snuggled in her hot yellow coat. She ignored the Pikachu remark Saino made and drifted off. The next thing she knew they were stopping for breakfast. They ordered hot drinks and ate the sandwiches Maggie had made for them. Then it was back to the bus. They started playing with the travel games Maggie had purchased with forethought. They also had paper and pencils, all being obsessive about drawing.  
  
Among the work was a bunch of Anime style art. Anime was something all of them enjoyed because they were stories that were more bizarre then their own lives. Plus all the main characters were good looking and had cool clothes.  
  
"Do you think we could maybe have costumes when we grow up? You know, kind of like Batman or something? We could be a cool set of super heroes." Jed just talked. "Saving people from burning buildings and stuff. You know how cool that would be? We could inspire books, music, and world peace!"  
  
"Who'd want us to save the day? Oh man, we'd be morons to even try being super men." Glenn shook his head.  
  
"Hey, what's wrong with that? We could be the Super Moron Heros! Saving the world from random acts of stupidity!" Marci grinned. "What do you think?"  
  
"Well, I don't think others would try copy right infringement. It would be too embarrassing to steel." Erika didn't bother to look up from her art book. "Besides, don't you think we will be leading the world to the stupidity, instead of steering them clear?"  
  
"Live a little!" Maggie smiled.  
  
"And here I wanted to be with you wackos. I'm for it!" Saino grinned. 


	3. Scorching Bobby

Chapter three: Scorching Bobby  
  
"Taxi!" Tangles waved her arm in the air. Her other hand gripped her two bags tightly. Her beckon was immediately answered. She feared for her toes as the cab came upon her.  
  
"Welcome to New York." A middle-aged man with brown hair and beard opened his window.  
  
"Is this Westchester County?" She asked, not sure if it was, considering the bus terminal was uninformative.  
  
"Sure is Doll."  
  
"1407 Graymalkin Lake, Salem Center, please."  
  
"Xavier's School For Gifted Youngsters?" He sounded surprised.  
  
"Yes. You aren't afraid of me are you?" She flirted.  
  
"No ma'am. My son goes there. His name's Bobby. Hop on in." He waved her in.  
  
"Well, I've got lots of kids to get there."  
  
"I've got room for four."  
  
"How much does it cost to get there?" She asked as she thought it out. When he told her she nodded. "Hope, Marci, Erika, and Saino; get in the cab and get your stuff in the trunk. He's going to take you to the school. Erika's in charge. I'll meet you at the gates." They all hurried to do her bidding.   
"Be good." She handed the money to the cabby and they sped off with Marci complaining about not being the leader.  
  
"Taxi!" She called again. She got another hyper cabby. He was out and had their things stuffed in the trunk before she could think. "Glenn, Christine, Jed, get the lead out." She got in the front and they got in back.  
  
"What'll it be missy?" The man asked.  
  
"1407 Graymalkin Lake, Salem Center, please."  
  
"Right away!" He screeched away from the curb and they were off! "Now I know it aint non of my business but I've got to wonder to myself why all of you're going to that mutant freak place?"  
  
"Simple, we are all mutant freaks." She smiled at him.  
  
"Sorry ma'am, I've got a bloody big mouth and one day it'll get me a fat lip." He nodded to himself after a second. "My mouth just goes and there aint no communication with my brain if you asks me. But you aint asked me none and you don't care none neither." She thought that he might talk them to death before they reached their destination. Finally he stopped behind another Taxi. The others from the group were getting out of it. She shoved the money at him and they all leapt to safety and out of the car. They grabbed their things. "Hey, you owe me another two bucks!"  
  
"Tell you what, drive backwards two dollars worth and then let us out...but then you'd be taking us farther free..." Jed started mind wars with the man.  
  
"Darn, we almost had enough. I guess I'll go bum two dollars off of someone." Maggie went to the gates and looked through. A man in a wheel chair was coming down the driveway. "Professor Xavier!" She smiled.  
  
"Maggie. You are running a little earlier then I expected."  
  
"I hate to do this, but can I borrow two dollars?" She blushed. "We ran short."  
  
"Jean will bring the money in a minute." He smiled. He had a gentle air about him. "There is nothing for you to be embarrassed about. Organizing your fellow mutants into a team takes work, trust, and patience. You will be a valuable asset. We need more teachers like you that can teach skills on an individual level. I'm happy to cover such a trivial expense."  
  
"I'm flattered that you are considering me."  
  
"It isn't a matter of consideration. You have the skills and abilities. Not everyone is born with that gift. Considering how few mutants there are compared to ordinary humans, then take into consideration how few of them are teachers, you can understand how badly we need them."  
  
"Yo, where's my money?" The cabby reminded them that he was still there.  
  
"Take this and get lost." Bobby's dad handed the other cab driver five of his fare.   
  
"Bout time!" He screeched off.  
  
"Some people." He shook his head and leaned against the gate. About that time Jean Grey showed up and handed the Professor the money.  
  
"Jean, I meant ones, not hundreds..." He looked at the bills before shrugging. "Here Mr. Lancaster. A healthy tip for you." He held out a one hundred-dollar bill.  
  
"I can't possibly..."  
  
"Here, give me what change you can make for it then."   
  
In the end he left with his pocket thirty dollars happier. "Hey Bobby!" He waved across to his son and they jogged to each other and hugged. Then they began to talk.  
  
"Oh yum!" Christine smiled at the boy. Then she looked around. "Hum? What? Did you say something?"  
  
"I said let's go." Dementia latched onto her arm and dragged her along. The others were quite a bit ahead. They jogged to catch up with them as they entered a large building. The girls were taken to a dorm room that already had four girls in it.  
  
"These girls are Jubilee, Katie, Fairy...and Rogue where ever she may be at the moment are your room mates. Clock, Dementia, Scorch, and Cat; make yourselves at home." Xavier motioned the girls to put down their things.  
  
Fairy had purple eyes and long skinny features. As the new people watched her, dragonfly type wings appeared on her back and she flew up off the floor. When she landed her blond curls settled around her and she giggled. "My real name is Jamie."  
  
"You girls can give them a tour later, let me get the rest of them settled in first." Xavier smiled before motoring down the hall. They all followed. In another wing they were introduced to Spidey, Crusher, Zero, Phase, Skipper, and Boomer.  
  
Spidey, brown eyes, dark skin and dark hair, was athletic and stuck to the walls. He said he was Stephen the great...Zero, blue eyes light skin, light brown hair, added not so before Spidey got to great and the group really showed their bad side. They learned his name was David and he was Stephen's big brother, possessing the power to manipulate time as well as through. Hypnoses was a specialty of his. Crusher was a hulk of a boy named Matt with blue eyes and dark blond hair and a goatee, Fairy was his big sister, though she didn't come up to his shoulder. He broke things with super strength.   
There was another Matt, with the same colorings but much younger looking though they were only a year apart. He was Phase, partly because he phased out in the middle of a conversation and would pop out with the most ridiculous things and partly because he could phase in and out of sight.   
Skipper was small and had black hair and gray eyes. He could run on water. His name was Kryz. Boomer was Very large and had curly brown hair and blue eyes. He could create an explosion that could destroy as little or as much as he wanted, by tossing a seed at something. His real name was Luke.  
After that, they were dismissed for lunch. They all happily ran off, with   
Tangles yelling after then to slow down. She sighed and turned to the professor. "Do you have an eye doctor here?"  
  
"Of coarse. Why?"  
  
"Saino and Cat want contacts so they can go in public without causing attention."  
  
"We'll have them looked at tomorrow morning before classes begin. If there is anything that can make them more comfortable then I will allow it. Tomorrow they will be assigned someone with powers similar to theirs to help them exercise and grow. I'll let you keep a hand in their learning until everyone is comfortable. Then we can start you on your teaching review."  
  
"When will that be?" She walked with him to an office. It was lavishly furnished. Food sat on the table waiting for him.  
  
"Next week, I'm sure. Have a seat."  
  
"Maggie..." Saino whispered in her ear.  
  
"If you don't mind I'd like to join the others." She smiled and he nodded.   
  
She left and started off down the hall, but he called after them. "I don't bite Saino." Saino appeared and looped his arm in Maggie's after they were away from the professor.  
  
"I didn't want to eat alone." He said with a small smile of contentment. They caught up with the others as they stood in line.  
  
"Rogue! Hey Rogue!" Bobby ran up and latched onto what he thought to be her arm. "Come sit with me!"  
  
"Mungh?" Scorch whimpered, jerking away and blushing.  
  
"What's the matter Rogue? Did I do something wrong? Are you mad at me?" He blinked innocently in surprise as she inched away from him. Then he actually saw her full in the face. "Wait, who are you?"  
  
"S-s-s-s....Scorch..." She looked very worried.  
  
"Gee, I'm sorry, I thought you were Rogue. You look an awful lot like her." He blushed in embarrassment. "I'm really very sorry."  
  
"It's ok..."  
  
"Well...Did you just get here?"  
  
"Yah, I'm Christine."  
  
"I'm Bobby, nice to meet you." He smiled, flashing his teeth, filling the air with charisma, and she got weak in the knees.  
  
"Nice to meet you." She smiled a very weak and pail smile.  
  
"I'd like to introduce some people to you, can you join me?" He asked, taking her back a bit. She glanced at Maggie who tossed her head in encouragement. She nodded and he took her hand to lead her across the very busy room.  
  
"Somebody's got it going on." Talon grinned as he watched her go. "Well, where are we going to sit?"  
  
"Sit where ever. Try and make some friends." Tangles suggested. "Look over there. Your new room mates are at that table."  
  
"Ok, Wind, are you with me?"  
  
"What ever." He followed with a shrug. He sat down as directed by Spidey.   
"Hi."  
  
"Hey there. We were just talking about you. Where are you guys from?" He toyed with his food as he waited for an answer.  
  
"South Carolina."  
  
"Man, they are racial, was it hard living there?"  
  
"Not for all of us. As a matter of fact my dad had a special hospital ward for mutants when they first acquire their powers. I met Cat there and both Wind and I spent time in there. You know it was a place to clear your head and figure yourself out." Talon said before taking a bite of food. "Ok, I'm ready to go home. This food sucks."  
  
"Lunch always is bad, but breakfast and dinner are ok." Zero informed him.  
  
"Maybe Tangles can take us out for lunch and cook for us." He looked across to where she sat poking her food. He glanced around looking for the others. Saino was sitting with Maggie, of coarse, Clock and Cat were with their roommates and Dementia was..."Oh man, where did your girlfriend go?"  
  
"Who knows, and she's not my girl." Wind shook his head, failing to see why everyone kept making him responsible. Then she appeared sitting in his lap. He involuntarily twitched. Then he got a small smirk on his face before grabbing her and tickling her in just the right places. She began to giggle loudly, squealing and wiggling. They ended up under the table before he let her go and got back in his seat, acting as if nothing had happened. "What does it matter? Nobody listens to me."  
  
"I'm sorry, did you say something?" Zero asked with an evil grin.  
  
"Ha, ha." He rolled his eyes, then he let out a shriek and sent a gust of wind down the table putting everyone's tray in his or her lap.  
  
Dementia appeared hovering above the table upside down. "Oops, Glenn-chan made a mess."  
  
"Mess my beepity beep- beep! You bit me on the ankle!" He hollered at her before looking at the people around him. "My gawd I am so sorry!" Spidey and Zero had managed to save themselves from Sloppy Joe accessories but the other twenty people were glowering unhappily. "Just why are you plaguing me? I've never done anything to you!" He put a hand on his head.  
  
"Maybe that's the problem." Crusher suggested raising an eyebrow.  
  
"Ahahah...not funny. That's Dementia you're talking about. She's a very bad girl. I'm a good boy. That aint happening." He looked at her with annoyance. "You can have her if you want."  
  
"I'll pass."  
  
"Figures, couldn't pay anyone to take her." He sighed.  
  
Maggie and Saino had taken to kicking each other under the table for some unknown reason. Erika watched this for a minute before picking up her tray and leaving. She went back to her room and started putting her clothes away.   
"There you are. Your are Cat, aren't you?" A tall, sexy young man leaned in the room. He had a dark olive complexion and the most beautiful green eyes. He brushed back his waist length black hair from his shoulder and gave her a bemused half smile. "Erika right?"  
  
She just stared at him. He was very well built and wore fitted jeans and an open shirt that fitted to him as well. His bangs were long, adding to his interesting look. "Um yes, sorry, you surprised me."  
  
"I know the ears are a little shocking at first, but you'll get used to them." He fingered the rim of his ear, which, was black and fuzzy, and matched the other very cat like one next to it. She hadn't noticed them before. They were kind of odd, but somehow made him even better. "Well, I'm Panther, my real name is Rod Sebentino. I'm 20 and I'm your student teacher for the time being... "  
  
"Teacher?" She blinked at him.  
  
"Our powers are similar and I'm going to help you learn to stretch yourself. Mutants never reach a limit. We are always evolving and adapting... I hope you have some more suitable clothes then that." He gestured at her outfit with disapproval.  
  
"What's wrong with what I'm wearing?"  
  
"No style, and it will never work for lessons. If I'm going to teach you, you can't wear that." He said it with such a self-righteous tone she glowered. He looked into her suitcase. "I guess I'll have to take you shopping for something more appropriate. We'll go tomorrow after school. I've got to go study for a test." He turned and sauntered off.  
  
Dementia appeared in front of her as she stood frowning. "What's the matter?"  
  
"See that guy with the cat ears, go torture him." Cat pointed.  
  
"I would ask, but he's getting away and ears are too fun to pass up! Later!" She disappeared, reappearing in front of Rod. "HI, I'm Dementia. You've got cool ears." She jumped up and grabbed him, forcing him into a headlock. Then she began to fuzz his ears.  
  
"STOP IT!" He flailed around, trying to get her off.  
  
Cat smiled. "Ah, now that's satisfaction." Then she closed the door, and finished putting her things away. The rest of the day was calm and she hung out with Dementia and talked. Then they went to dinner.  
  
"...and John uses fire, but needs it to start, so he usually has a lighter or matches. Anyway he's my student teacher. Bobby introduced us earlier." Christine rambled.  
  
"Scorch has a boyfriend!" Dementia teased. "Well, Cat's got a helper too. I mauled him earlier...Speaking of the self centered one." She looked up to see Mr. Designer-everything walk into the room *Sparkle, sparkle! *. He was follower by a pack of twittering girls.  
  
"You have to admit he is hot." Christine winked at Cat who almost smiled.  
  
"He's coming this way." Dementia frowned.  
  
"Ignore and talk around him." Cat looked spiteful as she met Marci's gaze.   
"So, has anyone else met their teachers?"  
  
"Me!" Glenn perked up. "Mariah is a little younger then me and she's got the same powers as me but she's a lot better. She's really cute too."  
  
"Well, I've got a dude to help me out. He's named Eagle. But he can fly. I wonder if I will be able to fly? Anyway, he's way cool!" Jed grinned, dimple appearing.  
  
"Clock, what about you?" Maggie asked curiously.  
  
"Zero is teaching me. He's got a lot more powers then time. He can be kind of quiet but he's smart and funny." Hope nodded in his direction. He looked up instantly.  
  
"Ouu...Big brother is watching. Maybe he'll use his powers against you!" Dementia raised an eyebrow. "What do you think? He's lurking in the shadows and being kind of creepy."  
  
"Maybe he's shy...Or afraid of you. Who could blame him?" Wind looked at her evenly before getting a funny look on his face. Just as Dementia began to demand to know what was so funny, her head was drenched in milk (2% of coarse!). "Saino, come have a seat next to me!" He gave a high-five to the taller and lankier teen.  
  
"Sorry, nothing personal, just stay out of my things."  
  
"How'd you know?" She blinked at him.  
  
"The chocolate finger prints on the lock and my favorite shirt." He explained.  
  
"How'd you know they are mine?"  
  
He snorted at the question. Who wouldn't have realized it was her? "Who else on the planet has alien faces for finger prints?!?"  
  
"Good point! By the way, love the Leopard print boxers!"  
  
"Thanks picnic panties." He then turned and ignored her. He then turned to Rod who was twitching his left ear in annoyance. He was obviously waiting for them to invite him to sit down like polite people would have. "Give it up Barbie Boy, you ticked off Erika, no body wants to be one of your groupies."  
  
He laid his ears down flat against his head and made an annoyed sound. "I didn't mean anything by it. I've got an image to maintain."  
  
"Man, that must be difficult, what do you use for the upkeep? A lawn mower and sand paper?" He guessed innocently.  
  
"I'll leave before anything vulgar comes out of my mouth."  
  
"Bye-bye Barb!" Jed waved. 


	4. Forgiveness and Small Surprises

Chapter four: Forgiveness and Small Surprises  
  
"Good night everyone." Maggie smiled as they all went off to their rooms to get ready for lights out.  
  
She was startled as Jean addressed her. "I hope you don't mind sharing a room with the tall boy you have with you. We weren't sure where we were going to put him when he proclaimed himself your lover. I got the sense it was a lie, but do you mind?"  
  
"Lover? Man is he a pill. Can you work on it? Tonight will just have to do."  
  
"When you become a teacher you will be moved and a new wing is being added to the dormer. Both of you will be moving soon, but for a week or so, bare with us."  
  
"Ok, if you don't mind, I'm sleepy...Good night!" She stifled a yawn.  
  
"Good night." Jean smiled, walking up the hall to where Scott was standing.   
They held hands as they walked to their room.  
  
She went in to her room and claimed a bed, putting her blanket on it and sifting through her previously delivered suitcase for shorts. She changed into them and brushed her teeth while her powers braided her hair. She curled into bed, leaving the bedroom door ajar. Saino wandered in and got ready for bed and after stripping down to his boxers snuggled into his bed on the opposite wall. "Night."  
  
"Ditto." He mumbled.  
***  
  
Erika headed to her first class from the eye doctor. He was making her some brown contacts. Saino trailed after her. His eyes were going to be very dark brown so that no color will show through. As it was, his glasses were glued in place. Both of them had that really trendy unmade bed look as they walked to their classroom. Other teens walked down the halls with them. They blended quite well. Unfortunately that ended when they got to class. Zero, Dementia, Rogue, Katie, Jubilee, and Scorch were already in their seats and a big blue hairy guy was teaching the language arts class. "Welcome, I am Beast."  
  
"Ah...Hi..." Erika stood there, looking trapped. Saino grabbed her by the elbow and dragged her to a table.  
  
"Hello, I'm Saino and she's Erika." He smiled as he stuffed her into a chair. Then he sat down himself.  
  
"Sunglasses off please." Beast turned back to the blackboard and wrote an English problem. "Ok, let's have one of our new students...Dementia correct it please." He waited for an answer, but none came. "DEMENTIA!"  
  
"Sorry!" She stood up abruptly, knocking her book on the floor. She scrambled to pick it up. "Um...What was the question?"  
  
"Honestly, it's been less then two minutes and you already aren't paying attention..." He sighed dramatically.  
  
"Sorry, I'll try harder...Excuse me for a moment..." She popped out of sight and reappeared in front of Saino. "Oh, shiny things! Pretty...I want!"  
  
"Leave me alone."  
"Why? They are pretty eyes and I do want them...Wanna trade?"  
  
"Ew..."  
  
"Suit your self! Ok Teach, I'm done. The answer is..."  
  
"Erika!" Someone burst into the classroom.  
  
"That's not the answer!" Dementia frowned at the intruder.  
  
"Answer? No, Erika, you've got to come see this!" Clock grabbed Erika by the arm. "It's Panther...He...*giggle, giggle *"  
  
"Ear boy?" Marci perked up. "I wanna see!" Basically the entire class was vacated , leaving a puzzled teacher. It was in the girls' room that the procession stopped. There in Erika's bed was a box of chocolates the size of a standard coffee table, a bouquet of a dozen-burgundy roses, and a card that read and I quote:  
  
"I'm SOOOOOOO Sorry! I'm sorry I'm sorry, Sorry...SORRY! Please forgive me for being-as I was informed earlier- a jackass. Really and Truly and Sincerely Panther"  
  
"Ah, a little brown nosing!" Marci grinned.  
  
"I can't help it, the chocolates smell good!" Scorch whined.  
  
"Not you, Panther!"  
  
"But his nose isn't brown, it's kind of a butterscotch color, Cat's is brown..." Clock teased.  
  
"Oh, I get it, like butt kissing?"  
  
"Boy, somebody got hit by the stupid stick this morning." Zero grinned at Christine.  
  
"Nah, just the whole forest." Cat laughed.  
  
"I heard my name..." Panther popped in.  
  
"Yes he did, but polite people wouldn't mention it." Jubilee snickered.  
  
"?" Rod looked around then shrugged. "Am I forgiven?"   
  
"Well..." Cat looked at him thoughtfully for a moment. "Ok. But if you want me to have any new clothes you're buying."  
  
"K!"  
***  
  
"You brat, you let me oversleep!" Maggie sat down next to Saino in a huff.   
"I had places to do and things to go and you wrecked my entire morning!"  
  
"Sorry. You just looked so cute, I couldn't wake you up!" He shook up his 2% milk, gazing across the room at Dr Jean Gray. "You women are all the same, you act all sweet one minute and the next BAM, you hit us with some mistake like we should be as good as you."  
  
"Gee, what were we thinking, you are only male after all. Such a weak part of our species." Tangles rolled her eyes. "What's a matter with Jean?"  
  
"Oh, she wants to do physicals on us."  
  
"Yes, of coarse she does. She's trying to map our evolutions and also check us out to make our lives better. She's our regular doctor as well." Maggie nodded in her direction as she made her point. "It really isn't all that bad, I had mine already."  
  
"And?"  
  
"I'm fat, can you believe it?"  
  
"Ha ha...I meant did you learn anything about yourself?" Saino looked at her curiously.  
  
"I'm really about to change again, my cells are being bonkers. She couldn't tell me what was going to happen."  
  
"You make it sound like you are a caterpillar going to turn butterfly."  
  
"Yes, but what kind of butterfly? That is the question."  
  
"Check it out, Cat and Panther are talking!"  
  
"Maybe you can evolve a bigger attention span."  
  
"Marci first!"  
  
"I heard. I still can't believe she fuzzed the teacher's ears. Poor man will need therapy." She chewed on a crouton. "Maybe Professor Xavier can directly stuff the information into her brain?"  
***  
  
Panther put on his black gangster hat and trench coat. Erika had in her new contacts and had her hair combed over her ear tips. He led her to the garage and opened the passenger door to a sexy black sporty convertible. (Tobes style...We love the Daisy!) "This is our ride."  
  
"Do you do anything in a small way?"  
  
"If I do, it's a mere over site." He waited for her to get in before closing the door and making his way around to the diver's side. He got in and put on his seat belt, before turning the key and cranking up the radio. The music was a smooth Latin sound. "Chiquita, smile. Things could be worse." They pulled out of the garage and down the drive to the street. It was a relatively short trip to the town's shopping district. He took her into a dance costume shop.  
  
"You're joking right?" She looked at the fluffy pink skirts and frowned at him.  
  
"This way, I'm not that off." He took her hand and led her to the back of the shop where the jazz outfits were. He motioned to the pants. "Here, pick something...besides black."  
  
"Picky, picky." She put back the pants she had picked up to look at. "Got anything against green?" She held up some hot green pants with dark green side stripes.  
  
"Hey those will look good against your skin." He nodded as he pulled down a few others before stuffing them back up. "You're done looking?" He sounded surprised. "Now you need a top." They walked over to another section that was all tops, halters, long sleeved, belly shirts, etc. They finally found some of the dark green color and Erika went to try them on.  
  
Panther never got to see the first one because she snorted, said "Not even" and tossed it over to hang back up. The second Rod said wouldn't work out because it would come off too easy. They finally settled on a zip up fitted vest shirt. "But isn't it a little cold for no sleeves?"  
  
"That is what custom orders are for." He smiled at her. "You pick out some shoes and I'll talk to Jim." He pointed at the flexible gripping shoes and she nodded. She had picked out some little black boots by the time he had returned with a small stocky guy. "He drew up some designs, like any?"  
  
He handed her some sheets of paper. She looked through them before deciding on sleeves that would button on her top so they could be removed. She made a few modifications herself before they paid for the pants and shoes and left. Unfortunately there was something-horrible waiting in the car for them...Marci. "Uuuuuhoooo! Somebody's on a date! What'd ya get? Anything lacey?" She giggled maniacally. People stared at her as she draped herself over the back seat.   
  
Rod turned all red and his eye twitched. "Get away from my car."  
  
"Oh Ear-boy!" She popped out of existence, reappearing a second later around his neck. By this time the streets had cleared. She grabbed his hat off and began fuzzing his ears.  
  
"Stop it!" He wailed loudly, struggling. "You aren't a mutant, you're a freak of nature, get away from me!" He dropped to his knees and tried to shield his head.  
  
"What the..." Marci let go abruptly.  
  
"Rod?" Cat blinked several times.  
  
He glared up at Dementia with tears in his eyes. He looked to be about three years old. "I hate you!" His clothes were hanging off of him. He tried to pull back on the hat with both hands lost in coat sleeves. "Why are you so mean?"  
  
"You're so..." Erika was in shock  
  
"Cute!" Marci gathered him up in her arms and hugged him. He began to cry. "Oh no, I'm sorry, shu! Don't do that!" She held him at arm's length and winced.  
  
"I wanna go home!" He choked out.  
  
"Ok!" Dementia nodded, quickly dropping him into the back seat of the car and buckling him in. She tossed his extra oversized clothing previously on the sidewalk in next to him and stuck the hat on his head. "See everything's going to be ok....Cat get in the car!"  
  
"Uh...Small...Er...ok..."She got in and put on her seat belt as Marci did the same.  
***  
  
Maggie walked down the hall to the professor's office. "I'm back with yet another question." She popped in to the room and sat on the couch. "What is it that happened to Rod?" He had been carried in by Marci and taken to Jean.  
  
"When he undergoes a certain amount of stress, a defensive response takes place and he for lack of a better word de-ages to a child state. Humans protect their young from things they can't deal with yet, and evolution has taught his DNA something along those lines. He will eventually return to his normal state. We were hoping that he would grow out of this reaction, but with his insecurities about his ears, he may always do it." He engaged her in a game of chess. She read him carefully, taking each step into careful consideration. Then she made her intent clear to him, at the defeat of her plan she seized his queen. "You have extreme mental control for someone your age. You read hormonal and chemical levels to understand emotion and intent, but how can you play chess?"  
  
"I admit, I am no good at this game, but I can understand what you are planning on doing...All I am doing is blocking you and doing little plans myself." As she spoke, he rolled over to a near by wall. She got the impression he was intrigued and curious about her.  
  
"But how can you understand? I want to show you something." He pushed a button on the wall to reveal an elevator. "Come along." He went inside. She followed. The elevator looked like a sci-fi movie prop, all lit up and shiny. They went down into the ground. When the doors opened they were in a metal hall. Her footsteps echoed in the empty space. "This is our secret facility. Only a chosen few know about this place." He led her to the end of the hall to a large round door. After a retinal scan he was admitted into the room beyond. "Welcome to Cerebro." He went to the center of the room across the suspended ramp to a control panel. She followed quietly.  
  
The emotional ripples everyone gives off echoed around her in the large dome. She stopped and stood in it silent sea, eyes closed. "What do you feel here?" He asked after a long moment.  
  
"Everyone..." She opened her eyes to look at him for a moment.  
  
"Who's everyone?"  
  
"Students and teachers in the school...some people beyond ...but they are faint." She closed her eyes. "Jean and Scott are expecting."  
  
"A child?"  
  
"Yes...It's a boy." 


	5. While You Were Sleeping

Chapter five: While You Were Sleeping  
  
Tangles spent the rest of the day after her disappearance sleeping. Meanwhile the others began training with their student teachers. Dementia and Nightcrawler spent the evening popping in and out of everywhere. Eagle and Talon went into the bird sanctuary behind the school and worked with the many birds around.   
  
Panther had eventually gotten over his trauma and regained his size. He and Cat were sizing each other up in the gym. Wind and Mariah were out on the roof where they wouldn't bother anyone else. Since Zero and Clock had been freezing time, they were done almost as soon as they started. They went out for stroll in the gardens where they happened across Spring, working her wonders in the Kitchen supply garden. "Hey Jennifer!" Zero gave her a little wave.  
  
"That's it, I give up!" Saino stood up and dusted his hands off on his pants. "Matt, you're a barbaric ogre that's only good at crushing things. I feel I have a little more potential." Matt stuck his tongue out and smashed a large rock to crumbs.  
  
"I wonder if that stuff counts as organically grown..." Clock looked at a tomato curiously. Zero shrugged. "Well Saino, why not just change the composition to something more interesting. That is what you do, right?"  
  
"I can't bloody do this, I've go no wings!" Talon hollered from above them. They all looked up to see Eagle flying along happily with a petrified Jed hanging from his arms.  
  
"He actually is using a localized telekinetic ability." Zero yelled up to him, which made Jed all the more upset.  
  
"I'm not that smart, now put me down!!! Flying is for birds."  
***  
  
"Maybe it's some bush or tree reaction. Eagle did smear you all over the woods." Zero put some lotion on Jed's back. It was covered in red itchy splotches.  
  
"Maybe you were abducted by aliens last night and they implanted you with some bacteria that is slowly eating your insides and you're going to die because nobody will know how to cure you. Then FBI will come and do long interviews with everyone under those hot bright lights like in the movies and..." Phase babbled as everyone looked at him for a moment then blocked him out.  
  
"Don't mind Matt. His doctor dropped him on the head as a baby...a few times to many." Spidey patted Matt on the head before looking at his watch. "Dinner time! I'm hungry." He led the way to the cafeteria.  
  
When they entered, the girls and Glenn were at a table. The girls were having a cute fluffy things conversation.  
***  
  
"I can't take it!" Jed had suffered through dinner and was back in their room, sitting in boxers and a muscle shirt. "Anyone got sand paper?" A hot shower and allergy pills and lotion hadn't helped. In fact he was felling worse by the second.  
  
"You know what would be cool if your skin was melting from some kind of acid that would eat down through your bones and you'd turn into a puddle and..."  
  
"Thank you Matt..." Jed grumbled  
  
"We better take you to Dr. Grey." Zero took him by the elbow and pulled him out the door. They found Glenn, standing in the hall holding the area at the base of his spine tentatively. His face was all scrunched up. "You ok?"  
  
"Not really, I'm hurting for no apparent reason." He frowned. He couldn't straiten up and was breathing funny.  
  
"Crusher, give Glenn some help." Zero continued to the med. lab with Jed.  
Dr. Grey was actually in her lab finishing some paperwork on the new arrivals when Zero and Crusher came in carrying Jed and Glenn who had both passed out on the way. She had them each placed on a bed. After they explained what had been happening, she told them to leave. When they opened the door, they were almost knocked down by Saino running in with Maggie in his arms. "She won't wake up! She's a light sleeper and she's never done this before. Something's wrong with her!" He put her down gently on a bed before turning impatiently.  
  
"Take a number, I've got two other patience in the same boat. What do they have in common?" Jean hooked each one up to a monitor.   
  
"They all lived together for a few months. They eat the same things, but I do too...Oh, I don't know!" Saino flailed his arms over his head and looked kind of nuts.  
  
"Calm down." Zero put a hand on Saino's shoulder.  
  
"Sorry."  
  
Jean began cutting off Jed's clothes. His back looked really misshapen and the skin was bright red and bumpy. Glenn's tail bone was in basically the same condition. This is all they discovered for when she turned to examine Maggie, many girls screaming down the hall caught their attention. The boys all left to discover what the yelling was about. Christine lay unconscious in the hall on the marble floor. She was wrapped in flame. Her clothes where turning to ashes as they watched. "John!!!" Everyone yelled for the fire handler. While some people went to find him, David caught Hope's attention and they used their powers to suspend her in time until he came.  
  
Less then a minute later, but long enough to have sapped them of their strength, John appeared in swim shorts. Skipper followed curiously. John picked up Scorch as soon as Zero and Clock released her and he carried her to a room designed to not conduct the heat. He was confined there often from colds when his powers would misfire. It wasn't just a room for fire but also wind and water. Bobby, Mariah, Storm, and many others used the room too.   
"John take her vitals please."  
  
"I remember!" Saino came flying into the room and skidded to a halt. Then he frowned. "But I don't think that could be right."  
  
"What?" Jean asked with an eyebrow raised as she turned from draping sheets over the three youths in her care. "Tell me."  
  
"Well, they all rode in that weird cab...well the cab wasn't weird, just the cabby was a jerk." Saino looked at Maggie for a moment. "But I don't think that the man did this."  
  
"Well, thanks for trying. If you remember anything else come tell me." She smiled at Saino, as he looked completely depressed and wandered off. "Thank you John. That will be all for now. You may go." She spoke through a speaker to him. He nodded and left.  
***  
  
Professor Xavier didn't make the group go to school, because they all stayed up worrying about their sick friends. "What did you come up with?" Saino asked Marci who was hanging upside down from the ceiling.  
  
She popped down to sit next to him. "Tangles hadn't given them anything different, they all slept in different places...They sat at different tables and ate what we did. The only odd thing was Tangles disappeared yesterday and wouldn't say where she was but Jean said that wasn't a factor so she knows where she was... I'm really curious as to what that place is."  
  
"You've gotten off topic again. I keep coming back to the same thing, don't you? We've got to find that cab." Erika changed position, sitting up on her bed so she could face them. She had been laying across the bed with her feet on the floor.   
  
"But that's not too smart." Hope shook her head. "If that's what is hurting them, it could hurt us. We have no way of protecting ourselves."  
  
"I'll risk it for the chance to help them." Saino frowned.  
  
"Me too." Cat nodded. She smiled at Saino.  
  
Saino smiled back. "Family's got to stick together and your all I've got girls. I'll protect you."  
  
"You'll need some help." Clock reminded them.  
  
"Hehehe, we've got Bobby on our side, so we've got his dad and he probably has connections." Dementia grinned at the group. "Super Moron Heros first test of heroism! Let's find that cab!"  
  
"You know they are going to be angry when they find out your plan." Panther leaned in the doorway. "Cat, can I offer any assistance?"  
  
"You are offering to help us?" Saino looked at him in shock.  
  
"I would like to help them regain their health."  
  
"Well, it could be curtains for us too. There is no saying that we can help even with answers." Saino frowned.  
  
Rod nodded thoughtfully. "Do me a favor if you can't stop this."  
  
"What?" Cat asked, surprised at his demeanor.  
  
"Take Dementia too."   
  
"HEY!"  
  
"Just kidding. You can borrow my car. Bring it back in one piece." He tossed her the keys. "I'll stay here and use the computer to find information for you. Take my cell phone. Push star one and it will dial me here." He turned and walked away.  
  
"Hey Fluffy, thanks!" Marci called after him.  
***  
  
Bobby was eager to help, as was his father. Within the hour they had the Cabby's cab number and full name. After a few minutes Panther had the address and telephone number.  
  
Jason Washington, 1177 Appleton Blvd., a beautiful place if you are into scrap yards. Clock and Dementia waited in the car while Saino (who was invisible) and Cat (silent and graceful) made their way into the open garage off the side of the shack like house. Alarms went off and the door slammed down on them. Cat's hair was all puffed out on her head. "That wasn't what I had in mind."  
  
"Welcome mutant."   
  
"Who's there?" She called out. "Jason?  
  
"No, my idiot brother isn't here. I'm Mitchell, a Civil Servant and friend to Senator Kelly before you mutants killed him and took his place." A middle aged average height man with brown hair that was graying on the edges and slightly balding stepped out of the shadows. He had thick black rimmed glasses and a dangerous gleam in his eye. "Now my shop has been contaminated. I must purge it."  
  
"What did you do!"  
  
"I refuse to allow you to buy time for yourselves by getting me to speak of my triumph over you. If you didn't know I could erase your powers, you wouldn't be here to destroy me now would you?" He scowled, looking to a small square gismo about the size of a shoebox with flashing lights that sat on a work table. Then he pointed a funky looking gun at Erika. "Terribly sorry, but you've gotten in my way and even though the machine would have robbed you of your powers, I can't afford you knowing my plans!"  
  
"NO!!!" Saino's voice was furious as an unseen force attacked the gun brandishing man. The gun fell to the floor, firing on impact and hitting Cat with an electric blast. She was thrown with a sharp cry into the far wall and she fell to the ground where she lay motionless, moaning slightly. "You bastard!" Saino punched him out. Then he grabbed the box and studied it.   
After a few seconds he stopped the blinking lights and tucked it under his arm. Then he grabbed the gun and tucked it in his belt. Then he picked up Erika, receiving a shocking snap, and draped her over his shoulder. "Ok, let's go home and get you a Band-Aid."   
***  
  
Saino handed the box over to Scott, as well as the batteries he had removed. "Erika and I were exposed..."  
  
"You better go to Med. Lab and have Jean look you over."  
  
Then he shoved the gun on him. "I was on my way with this poor kitty." Saino shifted her to carry with both hands. "She got shot with that lightening thing. Well, see you around."  
  
He wandered down the hall to the lab and walked in. He stopped short, shocked by what he saw. Jed was sitting on his bed, sheet draped haphazardly (Dark Schneider style) over one shoulder and his lap. Jean was examining vivid red wings that had sprouted out of his back during the night intently. "But they look so gay!"   
  
"At least your wings are functional and make sense! I've got a tail! Why in the h-e- double hockey sticks do I have a freaking wolf tail?" Glenn had his sheet wrapped around his hips, just low enough to keep the tail out.  
  
"But yours match, brown hair brown tail...but red wings with blond hair?"  
  
"I hate to break up this argument over who is the bigger pansy but E-Chan got fried when we went to find that cab."  
  
"Saino, you went and found the cab?" Jean looked at him in surprise.  
  
"Yah. A mad scientist was there and shot Erika with a electric bolt gun and I found the box that hurt them and it was supposed to take away their powers but I guess not..." He lay Cat down on a table and looked at her worriedly.   
"We got exposed too, do you want me to stay here and let you look at me?" He sat on the bed next to Cat.  
  
"Alone?"  
  
"No, Dementia and Clock were in the car." Saino said swinging his feet back and forth like a child. "Rod could have gotten you guys if we were in real trouble."  
  
"This isn't real trouble?" Jean looked at Cat's skinned elbows and bruised back.  
  
"Could have done that falling off a bike. Besides we knew there were risks but we wanted to help our friends if we could." He smiled as he hopped down. "Well?"  
  
"Take the boys to the room and get some clothes on them and then to the tailors." 


	6. Wolverine is Back in Town

Chapter six: Wolverine is Back in Town  
  
"So now we are all altered abnormally?" Maggie looked at the professor for a long moment, trying to get all her thoughts strait.  
  
"Well, Jean and I believe these are naturally occurring mutations that would have come out as you aged a bit more, but it is hard to say."  
  
"Man, you are so vague!" Jed pouted.  
  
"Well jeez, let's think for a second on how many mutants have lived out their lives under observation so their data is available to compare with ours. Done? Maybe two...three? That in no way makes this an easy thing to guess about." Saino stood leaning against the wall. "I find it odd that Cat has grown a tail and I haven't even felt a twinge of anything going on."  
  
Cat swished her kitty tail with a grin. "You are missing out! Tails are cool!"  
  
"You can have mine." Glenn volunteered. There was absolutely no reason for him to have a tail!  
  
"Mega-kabu-tari-mon!" Christine said out of the blue. "I am not an alien!"  
  
"Really? But you do have some kicking phoenix wings Miss Hot Stuff." Jed gave her his easygoing smile.  
  
"Maggie, I was wondering..." Saino started to say something but started making an unpleasant noise and flailing around a second before he fell through the wall. He landed a floor below in the girl's locker room. "Um..."   
He didn't sink into the floor as he wished. "Just dropped in...I'll be going now..." He looked desperately for a door as all the girls began hitting him with hard objects. He went through the nearest one, bursting into the poolroom, skidding across the floor, and splashing into the water. He stood up and sputtered as Skipper frowned at him from the lifeguard seat on the deep side of the pool. "Darn. I guess I found my tail. Hey Skipper, where the heck am I?"  
  
"Pool..."  
  
"I mean in the building...I fell through the ceiling."  
  
"Hey kid, nice entrance." A kind of dangerous looking guy told him. He looked animalish and gruff. He grinned and held out his hand to Saino. When he accepted the hand up out of the water the stranger continued. "I'm looking for Rogue, have you seen her?"  
  
"I can show you her room, but I don't know if she's there. It is almost time for dinner. Do you want to eat first?" He pealed off his shirt and rung it out as they headed towards the men's locker room as directed by Skipper. He took a towel and dried off his hair as he kicked off his shoes and socks. He turned invisible and stripped down to his skin and wrapped the towel around his waist. Then he wrapped his cloths in another towel. He reappeared to motion the guy to follow him. "From the silence I'll take it as NO. Got a name?"  
  
"Wolverine."  
  
"Oh yah? I'm Shadow." He disappeared and climbed the steps. "Keep up the pace. I'm freezing here." He got the guy to Scorch's room and she wasn't there. "Well, I'm going to go get some clothes."  
  
"Ok kid. Point me in the direction of that food will you?" He did so and they parted ways.   
  
Saino went into his room and closed the door as he appeared, untieing his towel. "HELLO!" Marci's voice made him freeze and look up. She and Maggie sat on Maggie's bed and had been looking at a book. Saino was more interesting. "Take it off boy!" He held the two ends of the towel in one hand grinning sheepishly as he grabbed his nearest bag and went into the bathroom. "So Saino, have a nice TRIP?"  
  
"Well, FALL came unexpectedly and ended abruptly." He said through the door. "Then I was stoned for landing in the locker room that happened to be female. Then I fell in the pool and then I had to walk through the school in a towel. When can I do it again?"  
  
"How's next Tuesday for you?"  
  
"Sounds good."  
***  
  
"Ok, you've passed your assessments. Now we have several places we could use you. What interests you?" Storm asked from behind her desk.  
  
"Well, I've noticed you have the basics down but you are lacking in extra credit things. Automotive shop, basket ball, and swimming are great but if students want to do more then stay behind these walls they need to know how to cook, shop, and manage their lives. Many of your students have been here since they where in elementary school and don't have any of the life skills needed to get by outside in the world. I've been self-sufficient since I was ten. Most aren't brought up that way."  
  
"You will need to put together a list of needs and student requirements so we can set it up." Scott told her.  
  
"I have all ready located the equipment, looked up the health department requirements, priced the renovations, and listed rooms that would suffice for my classes." She reached into her book bag and pulled out a stack of hot green folders and handed them to the board members. "I also looked into a mentorship program with the companies that are interested in working with us. Each carpenter and electrician is willing to teach a student his trade while he works on the project. If the relationship works well they will be given the opportunity to continue the practice."  
  
"Well, you seem to have the energy to make this work." Beast put on his spectacles and looked through the folder. "How do you wish to choose your students?"  
  
"Simple. Assemble the ones that are not involved in an activity. The first thing to do is give them the option. Those who aren't interested can walk away. The rest can write a few sentences of why they should be allowed to join. Then I'll go over them. I think twenty students will be enough to give several students a chance without killing me. I would like them about twenty minutes before the lunch hour begins. I realize that would interfere with your classes so only students that are holding a certain average could participate with your consent. Some days you might not want them to leave early and I can work around that."  
***  
  
Rogue walked through the park next to Wolverine. He had been hanging out with her and she was thrilled. He still had that annoying habit of calling her "Kid", but she could overlook it. She passed Glenn who was trying to use his powers on a kite with no string. It landed in a near by tree. "Damn. Now I've got to go back up that stupid tree. Yippy."  
  
"I'll get it for you." She smiled at him and went over to the tree. Wolverine gave her a boost up to the branches so she could climb up. She reached the kite and pulled it loose. Then she began climbing back down. *Snap!* The branch she was on broke and she fell, screaming.  
  
Saino ran, jumped, and caught her. He landed with a friendly smile towards her before he felt her effects on him. His veins shone like liquid silver beneath his skin as he staggered back a step and dropped her before landing on his butt gasping for air.  
  
"I'm sorry!" She began to cry.  
  
"It's not your...fault... Are you...ok?" He smiled at her.  
  
"Saino, your all right?" Maggie knelt next to him.  
  
"It wouldn't hurt...if you tried...to heal me."  
  
Maggie nodded, using her newest power on him. A shining red light came from her hands like little fireflies. They swarmed around her for a moment then moved to Saino. They turned abruptly and covered Rogue. They sank into her skin and made her body glow like an ember. She screamed and collapsed.  
  
"Rogue!" Wolverine placed his hand on her. The little green orbs actually shoved him away. "What are you doing?!" He turned on Maggie angrily.  
  
"I don't know! I did it like every other time! I can't make it stop!" She looked worriedly at the girl. "Knock me out! If I'm unconscious then my powers will stop."  
  
"NO!" Saino glowered. "You heal! She is hurt someplace or something, that has to be the reason."  
  
Maggie grew paler as the power was drained from her body. The light went out as Maggie joined Rogue on the ground unconscious.  
***  
  
"This is extraordinary Professor. The part of Rogue that made her cells absorb energy and powers from others is...repaired. They seem to be holding Saino's strength and he has completely recovered only his strength is gone.   
Her hold on the powers should have worn off long ago. I believe she can still absorb powers if she tries, but it won't just happen." Jean proved her observations by laying a hand on Marie's arm. Nothing happened.  
  
"Has either of them showed any sign of waking?"  
  
"Not yet, but it seemed to be a taxing ordeal. I am not worried yet."  
  
"And how are the children taking it?"  
  
"Well, they aren't doing anything that isn't required of them. They are hauled up in the girl's room usually."  
  
"I believe I want to push the prom idea up. It will help them deal with their recent troubles."  
  
"When?"  
  
"Middle of the month."  
  
"But it's October. Halloween is..."  
  
"At the end of the month. I have rented the club Mutant for the prom and several students asked me if we could do a carnival on the 31st and I've decided it will be a good idea. When her group comes to check on her put them in charge of advertising around campus for both." The professor wheeled away, giving Jean little time to complain. Not that she had to. His telepathy gave him a piece of her mind.  
***  
  
Rod sat with Dementia at lunch talking about the carnival. They both where very excited about doing it. Saino kept staring at them in disbelief. "I'm afraid the sky's going to fall or something! Isn't your getting along one of the seven signs of the apocalypse?" Saino asked Marci. She stuck her tongue out before clapping Rod on the shoulder.  
  
"He's pretty cool once you get to know him." She smiled at the older boy.  
  
"And she's not so annoying once you get past her normal antics." Rob commented before slapping her hand away from his ear. "Don't fuzz my ears. They are very sensitive."  
  
"Oh? By sensitive, you mean it's one of your pleasure zones, don't you?" She asked curiously.  
  
"Well, think about it. Animals are sensitive around their ears and at the base of their tails. I don't have one of those, thank God."  
  
"Tail...hehehe." Marci disappeared from sight. A few seconds later Glenn screamed, turned bright red, and hopped up from the table clutching his tail possessively.  
  
"You demon! Don't do that!"  
  
"Oh, there's Cat. I've been meaning to talk to her. If you'll excuse me..." Rod got up from the table and walked away as Saino shrugged.  
  
He felt extremely alone. He wandered back to the clinic and checked on Tangles. No one was in the room at the moment but the two unconscious girls. He pulled up a stool and sat next to Maggie's bed. Gently smoothing back her hair, he looked at her peaceful face.  
  
"We are having a prom in two weeks. I think you really should consider waking up and going with me."  
***  
  
"Jed, I need to talk to you in private." Glenn motioned him to the corner.  
  
"Sorry Man, I don't feel that way about you." He grinned, before doing a faked out 'did I say that out loud?' look and walking over to him. "Yah?"  
  
"Are you taking someone to the prom?"  
  
"Woah there buddy, I..."  
  
"I mean can we ask someone to go with us? Could you be serious for a second?"  
  
"I have myself a little piece of the action." He nodded. "As for serious, I can't, it's against my religion. So does this someone have a name?"  
  
"Melody."  
  
"Your teacher?! Bad boy." He clapped Glenn on the shoulder. "You've done me proud."  
  
"Come on, Erika's going out with Rod, so I don't see much difference."  
  
"Guess not. Did you hear about Marci?"  
  
"Now what did she do?"  
  
"Hooked up with Zack. He's been voted most likely to be a hardened criminal by twenty or the next stunt double that sets himself on fire for a living. The guy's a little whack, but look at what he chose as a girl."  
  
"Jed!" A cute little blond thing broadsided him. "Guess what? I just learned a new trick! Look!" She had purple eyes and her hair was flipped up on the ends around her shoulders.  
  
"What the heck?!?!" Glenn suddenly found himself hovering above the ground. "You!?! No no-no, you put me down!"  
  
"Tricksy, that's great, now put him down." He draped his arm around her shoulder.  
  
THUMP! "Ow..."  
  
"Sorry, I'm still working on that part!" She giggled. "Well, got to go. Later J-boy!" She kissed him on the cheek before running off.  
  
"Action?"  
  
"That would be her." He nodded, helping Glenn to his feet.  
  
"You are going out with a mutant fluff! Move over Barbie, they made a real version."  
  
"Hey now, she's not stupid. She is fun...and she started a fan club for me. I've got a fan club!" He grinned suddenly.  
  
"Slackers, get back to work." Maggie came up to them and pointed to their partners that waited for them.  
  
"Mags! You woke up!" They both smiled at her.  
  
"Yes. Now go do your work." She bopped Jed playfully on the head as she passed him to find Logan. He was easy to find, sitting alone with a very gloomy look on his face. "Mr. Logan?"  
  
"You! What do you want?" He sounded like he wanted to run her through with his claws.  
  
"Marie is awake. She asked for you." She spoke softly, feeling a bit out of place.  
  
Wolverine pushed past her roughly. This caught Dementia's attention. "Hey Hamster guy, be nice or I'll have to scare you."  
  
"Wolverine." He growled.  
  
"Cowlick head." She pretended that she though he was calling her names.  
  
"Watch it kid." He narrowed his eyes.  
  
"Ah, give me a brake you overgrown can opener. You have no right to treat her like that."  
  
"Stop Dementia, let it go." Maggie walked away.  
***  
  
Wolverine walked with Marie through the gardens. "So, how have you been doing?"  
  
"I've missed you, but I've been doing good. I think I'll be doing a lot better though because I don't absorb everyone I touch anymore."  
  
"I was thinking, you want to team up again?"  
  
"All right, road trip!" She grinned enthusiastically. "Oh, did you hear, I got a new power?"  
  
"New power?" Wolverine raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Check this out!" She picked up a large rock about her size with no trouble. Then she sat it back down carefully.  
  
"That could come in handy." 


End file.
